Quick question

[skinsl]

What is it acceptable to ask your babysitter to do?
Eg, is dinner, bath and bed too much? Or is that what they are paid for?
or is it just what you feel comfortable doing?
And what do you pay?
And if you answer an ad, how do you check their references? The CRB check etc?

Thanks

and taxi home? do you pay for that?

think depends how much the children know the babysitter

i wouldnt expect or want a 1st timer to do tea or bath

tbh i dont think babysitters should bath at all - they are there to look after the chidren while asleep

but obv if an early start then yes tea, bath and bed

i have got to bs jobs at 7pm and then been asked to bath the children (ones i had never met before) and tbh i wasnt impressed

ask the person to send you their cv and refs and then ring them, you could get both you and dh/oh to ring pretending to be 2 diff familys to check that ref person says same each time

a dedicated professional childcarer should have a crb already

i wouldnt use anyone who didnt have one, tho obv just measn they havent been caught doing anything - crbs arnt worth the paper they are written on imho

personally i wouldnt want to pay for their taxi fare home, i would employ someone who could drive and make their own way there

is dinner, bath and bed too much?

I would do all those. You may find it easier to get a quick dinner (microwave, ovenable, stir-fry) rather than expect something to be made from scratch.

And what do you pay?
I charge £8 an hour (after 7pm, more if an earlier start).

And if you answer an ad, how do you check their references?

Ask for the contact details of two people you can call.

The CRB check etc?
Ask to see it... you can't get one done as a private family, so if you need someone with a CRB check, insist on that in your ad and ask to see it when they come to meet you and your children. When meeting families, I bring my portfolio containing all my certificates, written references and also some ID documents such as my passport.

I provide my own transport to/from the place I am babysitting, so taxi doesn't apply.

sorry forgot the pay bit

i charge £10ph and have minimum of 4hrs - i get lots of work,so dont think i charge too much

thanks. It's just hard finding someone you feel really comfortable with. I have 2 girls who work at DS's nursery, who are great with him, but only young and so don't drive.
If DS was really easy, I think I would be happy with them bathing him, but he he is hard work. So it means I have to get him ready for bed by 6.30, so they just have to put him to bed,which is an hour earlier than usual.
Don't go out that much, but just had a couple of nights out recently.

I certainly wouldn't expect a babysitter to do dinner or bath, but would excpect them to put dc to bed and read a story perhaps.

Why do you need to go out at 6.30? Can't you go out a bit later and come back later? Then you can do dinner and bath before you go.

Could your DS maybe just skip his bath for the nights when you go out.

if im booked as a babysitter i do not expect to do tea / bath.

am happy to play a board game / do colouring / read a story etc.

I charge £8 per hour for babysitting.

i would consider giving tea and doing a bath etc as nanny duties and get £10+ an hour for that

if im booked as a babysitter i do not expect to do tea / bath.

am happy to play a board game / do colouring / read a story etc.

I charge £8 per hour for babysitting.

i would consider giving tea and doing a bath etc as nanny duties and get £10+ an hour for that

(unless i am babysitting for children who i used to nanny for.... i dont mind doing the whole tea / bedtime routine for them!)

sorry, not sure how it double posted like that!

We used to have one of my ES's nursery nurses babysit for us. Although capable I would not ask her to bathe them. Though she'd oversee ES if he was having any supper.

But we wouldn't be going out early evening so I would just get them ready for bed earlier.

We'd pay her £20 for the night regardless of how long we were out but we were usually about 3-4 hours. Must have a been satisfactory to her cos' she always asked if we needed her!

Thanks all, just wanted to get an idea of what was usual, or whether I was being too precious about babysitter I don't know that well doing the bath. Had to go out 6.30 cos we were going to show which started 7.30, and have to go to counselling and appt is 7-8.
Happy to skip the bath, but had already skipped it on tuesday!!